Ultrasonic contrast imaging of devitalized tissue area of bullet wounds to pig extremities:an experimental study / 中华超声影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the value of the determination of the devitalized tissue area of bullet wounds in the pig extremities by contrast-enhanced ultrasound(CEUS).Methods A model of bullet wounds to the pig limb soft tissue was constructed with a model 53 smoothbore.The sonographic features of the soft tissue of and around the primary traumatic channel of the pig extremities were observed by routine ultrasound and CEUS and compared with the pathological findings.Results The primary traumatic channel of bullet wounds to the pig extremities produced clearer tubular echoes under routine ultrasonic imaging.The echoes from inside the traumatic channel changed with time.Part of tissue close to the periphery of the traumatic channel presented with a filling defect area except the primary traumatic channel after ultrasonic contrast of the traumatogenic area.The pathological examination revealed devitalized necrotic tissues in the filling defect area while the heterogeneous low potentiation of the tissue around and the most peripheral circular high potentiation of the traumatic channel indicated a degenerative tissue change and a small angiectatic change after CEUS.Conclusions Routine ultrasound may determine the run of the primary traumatic channel in the traumatogenic area of bullet wounds to the pig extremities while CEUS may accurately distinguish the devitalized tissue in the traumtogenic area.The combination of both is bound to raise greatly the level of the treatment and cure of bullet wounds.